Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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316. To ask the Minister for Health when the statutory home care scheme will be piloted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46116/19]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The Sláintecare Implementation Strategy commits to the introduction of a statutory homecare scheme by the end of 2021. As part of this, work is on-going to determine the optimal approach to the development of the scheme within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms and in 2019 work has focussed on the design of the scheme, the options for regulation, and a review of existing services.

Of the additional €52m allocated in Budget 2020 for home support services, a proportion of this funding will be used to test a reformed model of service delivery in 2020 at pilot sites. My Department is currently working with the HSE to identify the pilot sites and to agree the approach to testing.

I expect to be in a position to provide further details in January 2020.